


Masquerade

by ANGSWIN



Category: Doctor Who, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Established Relationship, F/M, Regeneration (Doctor Who), Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27818359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ANGSWIN/pseuds/ANGSWIN
Summary: A recently regenerated Doctor attends a Masquerade Ball at the request of someone who is very special to him.
Relationships: Twelfth Doctor/Hermione Granger
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21
Collections: Stockings of Joy Collection





	Masquerade

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aleysiasnape](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aleysiasnape/gifts).



> Written for the Wizarding Crossover Connection's  
> 2020 Stockings of Joy holiday fic gift exchange.
> 
> Requested Pairing: Twelfth Doctor/Hermione Granger  
> Requested Trope: Masquerade  
> Additional Wants: AU, Happy Ending, Angst, and Fluff

A wheezing mechanical sound echoed down the stone-lined corridor as the TARDIS materialized in a discreet corner behind a suit of armor. Hidden or not, though, her presence was noted immediately and a feeling of joy infused the entire building as the Castle telepathically linked up to the Police Box in order to gossip with her old friend. The Doctor just shook his head at such unexpected behavior from the two sentient beings. Nevertheless, he left them to it since he was in a hurry to make a connection of his own. 

Consequently, he exited through the TARDIS doors and quickly walked towards the Great Hall. Even though his pace was hurried, there may have been a little bit less of the confidence than was normally present in his step. After all, he did have a lot on his mind...all of Time and Space, in fact! However, what weighed him down the most at the moment was the knowledge that he had recently regenerated...and Hermione had yet to see him in his new body. He was especially aware of the fact that it was not as young-looking and attractive as the last few had been. 

Before he could worry about that too much, though, he realized that he could hear the strains of music from his location as he neared the place where he knew the Masquerade Ball was being held. Ever since Hermione had become the Headmistress of Hogwarts, after years of being the Transfiguration professor there, she delighted in throwing a themed end-of-year ball for her Seventh Years who were leaving their education behind in order to go out into the world and do great things. 

Via the Castle, who somehow always knew how to contact the TARDIS, the Doctor never failed to receive an invitation to these festive occasions - even if he had not seen the Headmistress in a while, otherwise. He always made it a point to attend, however, and it did not matter if he wore leather, pinstripes, or bowties at the time. He always came to Hogwarts whenever Hermione asked him to do so - even though she reported that his varying appearance usually caused a bit of a stir in the stodgy wizarding gossip mill in the process. After all, each different regeneration made it seem as if the Headmistress frequently had new escorts. Hermione had informed him that was something that was practically unheard of in the former Pureblood Old Guard world where couples stayed together forever – even if it was just for the sake of their reputations and/or fortunes. Neither Hermione nor the Doctor cared about such things, however. They only wanted to be together whenever they had the chance to do so...no matter what body he happened to be wearing at the time. 

In fact, the Doctor had long wished, ever since they had first met, back when he wore leather and she had fought at his side by throwing _Bombarda_ and _Reducto_ spells to destroy the Nestene Consciousness and its plastic minions, that she would travel with him full time. After all, they had taught each other how to live and love again after they had both lost so much in their respective wars. Nevertheless, even though she was a powerful witch...and was therefore very long-lived...she was still human and susceptible to the inevitable ravages of Time. Eventually, the Doctor would lose her. 

Consequently, they had agreed that since he held that particular power, he would space out his visits to her...and her trips with him in the TARDIS...very carefully. As Hermione had wisely pointed out, that would translate out into her being able to see him (in his various incarnations) quite frequently during her entire lifetime. However, by the same token, each version of him would have to wait longer in between visits to see her. Such a system, though, would mean that their relationship could literally last hundreds (and perhaps even thousands) of years for him - who arguably would need such a support system the most. At any rate, her plan assured that they could be together, make the most of whatever time they had, and continue to count on each other to be the shelters in any storm they needed to weather...over the longest period of time possible in _both_ of their lives. 

Even though, the Doctor wanted her all to himself all of the time, he had reluctantly agreed to her plan. He would visit her at regular intervals at Hogwarts and she would also travel with him for short periods of Time whenever she could. Then he and the TARDIS would honor her request and continue to travel through Time and Space for longer stretches without her after she went back to the magical world. To relieve his boredom and to keep him company, the Doctor even occasionally picked up other Companions in between his visits with Hermione. After all, the wise witch had repeatedly pointed out that he was rubbish on his own and needed someone to look after him...or at least amuse him...when she was not around. She was right, too, about that - just as she had been about their relationship plan. After all, four bodies and hundreds of years later, he was still able to enjoy her company - and she was still considered to be a witch in her prime. Therefore, he had high hopes that he could continue to stretch out their arrangement for at least twice that long, as well. Nevertheless, despite all that, he still dropped everything when she needed him – even if it was only for a date to a fancy party – and even if he was wearing a different body than he had the last time they had been together...as was the case on this particular visit. 

As the Doctor dragged his attention back to the present, he realized that he was near the doors to the Great Hall. Consequently, he settled the mask that the TARDIS had laid out for him more firmly over the face that he was still getting used to. His sentient ship and oldest friend had done a very fine job with the selection, too, since she had apparently picked out a Phantom of the Opera style face cover that fit perfectly over his new nose and matched up nicely with the classical flowing red silk-lined black jacket that he had chosen to wear since the very beginning of his time in his new body. In fact, he strongly suspected that one of the main reasons he had selected that particular ensemble in the first place...even in the midst of his regeneration sickness...was because it resembled wizarding dress robes. Hence, it had become a connection to Hermione, even during those long and lonely stretches of Time when she was not with him. 

Consequently, he knew that the jacket and mask combination meant that he would not stand out in the crowd at all for this particular occasion. He just did not know if he hoped...or feared...that Hermione would recognize him immediately – despite his change in appearance. After all, from her point-of-view, a sharp-jawed, floppy-haired, and bowtie-wearing Doctor had visited her just a week earlier. Even though he was not usually insecure about his looks, he simply did not want the change to disappoint her in any kind of way. After all, hers was the only opinion that really mattered to him.

However, he could not wait any longer to see her, either. Therefore, he gathered his Time Lord courage and strode towards the doors which opened magically before him. Immediately, he found himself in the middle of a swirling masked crowd full of beautiful witches and dashing wizards. Nevertheless, there was only one whom he had eyes for and the beating of his hearts increased in intensity when he located her from across the room. 

His vision had tunneled and all he could see was the woman who wore the deep red and gold gown that was worthy of a lifelong Gryffindor – especially when she had the lioness mask to match. Not only that, but her loose, lively hair also made no secret of her identity...despite the fact that he could not actually see her face at the moment. He knew instinctively that the beauty was Hermione, though, because at the familiar sight, his mind instantly traveled back to the magical night they had spent together on the planet of New New New Egypt. It was back in the earlier days, right after he began to wear trainers with his pinstripes and his hairstyle was almost as outrageous as his gob. It was then that Hermione had somehow acquired that exact same ensemble when she, with a little help from her magic, had to pretend to actually be Sehkmet, the Lion Goddess, in order to save him from being offered up as a sacrifice by the temple guards. 

Once the "servant" had been released to the "Goddess," though, and they had made their escape, the Doctor had expressed his relief and gratitude with an impromptu kiss. One thing had led to another, however, and soon they had finally given into those feelings that they had both denied for entirely too long. In fact, they never even made it back to the TARDIS that night! 

The memory of their amazing first night together in the open air under the four moons of that planet stirred the Doctor’s physical reactions again, and he reprimanded himself. After all, with his superior physiology, he should be able to control himself better than _that._ Consequently, he forced himself to push away those kinds of thoughts for the time being as he also realized that particular outfit was still supposed to be hanging in Hermione’s personal section of the TARDIS’s wardrobe room. 

_How did the Old Girl get it here without me noticing?_ he wondered, vaguely amused at the apparent conspiracy between his girls, even as he made his way over to the woman in question. In his haste, he may have even been a bit rude to a few of the partygoers as he brushed past them in the process. He did not really care, though, partially because of the fact that his new body seemed to be preternaturally grumpy, but mainly because he was only concerned with how to get to Hermione as fast as possible. 

“May I have this dance, M’Lady?” he asked with a courteous bow once he had finally reached the object of his desire, even though her back happened to be turned towards him at that moment. Nevertheless, he had spent quite a bit of time at various courts across the universe at different points in history. In fact, he had even managed to not be thrown in the dungeons at a few of them! Therefore, he knew exactly what do to in such a situation. 

The woman, however, visibly froze at the question before she spun around to face him as if she had been waiting for exactly that kind of interruption. She seemed disappointed for just a split second as she searched what part of his face she could see from under his mask – at least until she looked deeply into his eyes with her own. Then she relaxed and smiled broadly. 

“I would be delighted,” she answered and allowed him to gather her into his arms and start to move across the floor before she added slyly. “After all, I am always ready for a dance...any kind of _dance_...when it comes to the Phantom...or should I say the _Doctor?”_

“How did you know?” he asked her with a chuckle at the obvious innuendo that she had no doubt picked up from a certain ex-con man/Time Agent when they had all traveled together in the TARDIS. At any rate, now that they were actually together again, he let his irrational fears that she would not want him because of his new body fade away into nothingness. It was exactly where such thoughts belonged...just like he belonged with her. 

It was a sentiment that she obviously returned. “I will _always_ know _my_ Doctor,” she replied warmly as she leaned into his embrace during their dance. “After all, no matter what their color happens to be, you always have the same expression in your eyes when you look at me – as if I’m the only girl in the universe – no matter how old I get or how unruly my hair may be. Now _that_ is what I call magic!” She focused back on the Time Lord again with a beautiful smile before she shook her head in mock despair. “Dare I ask, however, what kind of trouble you got into _this_ time that rendered a new body as the only viable outcome?” 

“It’s quite a long story,” he answered the question with sincerity as he thought about the strange series of events that had occurred on Trenzalore and wondered how he could possibly explain it all. 

“Well, it’s a good thing that I had already determined that, according to _my_ schedule, it is time for me to take a little vacation with my favorite alien and his magnificent time machine, isn’t it? Therefore, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to tell me all about whatever idiotic and dangerous thing you did – even though I have no doubt that it was also incredibly brave and heroic at the same time.” 

Despite her extremely accurate description of the situation that led to his regeneration, the Doctor just looked at her incredulously. One of his new thick eyebrows even quirked up of its own accord in the process. After all, he had not anticipated that she had already decided to come along with him in the TARDIS after the ball - even though he had planned to suggest the very same thing himself later on in the evening. 

“I’m serious!” Hermione insisted and even giggled a little before she reached out to smooth his wayward eyebrow back down to a more natural position. “As long as you get me back in time before breakfast tomorrow, that is. I still need to prepare for the graduation ceremony, you know. However, I am yours until then...no matter how long of a non-linear time period that might actually pass before I arrive back for that particular meal.” Hermione then smiled in response to the understanding and visible happiness in the Doctor’s eyes at the news that she planned to be with him for a while. “However, we’ll talk about that later. Right now, I want to know what made you go with the sophisticated silver fox look this time around. I have to admit, though, that I am glad that you're still not a ginger - or else you would remind me entirely too much of the Weasley men.” She shook her head at the thought, but then her smile widened as she reached up and ran her fingers through his thick gray waves with obvious delight. 

“So you like it?” he asked, even as her touch made him shiver with pleasure. He might have been an ancient alien when compared to her, but his witch could still make him feel like a Gallifreyan teenager again – even when there was no actual magic involved whatsoever! 

“No,” she answered his question in the negative, but the Doctor could see the saucy glint in her eyes. Therefore, he waited and was not disappointed when she immediately followed that up with another statement. “I don’t like it...I _love_ it!” She smiled softly up at him. “Just like I love you...no matter what face you happen to wear - even if I can’t quite see it all at the moment because of that mask.” 

“And I love you,” he could not help but to respond to the sincerity in her tone. Suddenly, he found that he could not wait until midnight, when the masks were supposed to magically disappear and mark the end of the Masquerade. Instead, he tore the offending cover off right then and there so that he could kiss her. After all, he had never needed to wear a mask, either metaphorical or physical, around her anyway. She was the only one who had ever really been able to accept him for exactly who and what he was.

Therefore, he did not care that they were in the middle of the Great Hall in front of all her professors, students, and various high-ranking officials from the wizarding government - including her best friend, Harry Potter, who was the only one who really knew the truth about her unconventional relationship. Nor did he worry about the fact that his rash action would probably merit at least a mention on the front page of the next _Daily Prophet._ All he cared about at that moment was that Hermione was his...and that she would stay that way for as long as he could possibly arrange it...no matter how many masquerade balls that he might have to attend...or how many regenerations he had to go through in the process. 

She was worth it all! 


End file.
